


Something's Amiss

by lumifuer



Category: Wolverine (Movies), X-Men (Movieverse), X-Men - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Mutant Powers, Self-Hatred, Swearing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-24
Updated: 2017-06-24
Packaged: 2018-11-18 09:22:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,532
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11288361
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lumifuer/pseuds/lumifuer
Summary: The reader is a mutant and works for the Transigen. When the pressure and guilt become too much there’s only one person who’s able to lift her spirits.





	Something's Amiss

**Author's Note:**

> Request: Donald Pierce + “I won’t tell anyone you were crying”, “I just don’t want to see you get hurt”, “Don’t look at me like that“

 

I was hunched over medical records, trying to ignore a splitting headache that was successfully putting me off stride. 

I was assigned to a new group of mutant youngsters which was equivalent to a lot of extra paperwork and detailed information to ingest. I had to go through the whole medical history to learn their weak and strong points. My boss was very keen on keeping his possession out of harm's way, after all, the investment wouldn't pay off itself.  
  
It wasn't my place to complain. Nobody forced to me seek job inside their walls. On the contrary, Rice couldn't believe that a mutant was willing to help him with his experiments and I couldn't blame him, he might have had some flaws but at least he knew what side he stood on and was keeping it that way.  
  
A single knock followed by the sound of opening doors broke my reverie. I didn't have to look up from the documents to know who let himself in so nonchalantly.  
  
"I don't even know why you bother," I said, my eyes were fixed on the records even though I couldn't read the words anymore. My vision became blurry and it was impossible to distinguish one letter from another.    
  
"I wasn't raised in a barn, you know," Donald replied and stepped closer to the desk, placing both of his hands on the wooden desktop, "Busy?"

"As you can surely notice," I sighed and glanced at him. As usual, he was wearing this smug smirk of his. But something felt a bit off, he looked tense and somewhat anxious. I'd never thought he was capable of putting on an act or at least I'd never seen him wanting to hide anything,"Is everything okay?"

"Yeah," he replied, picking up one of the envelopes. He opened it and scanned the piece of paper with no real concern, "Rice wants to see you in the office in half an hour."

"I know, we scheduled the tests yesterday. You didn't have to trouble yourself."  
I didn't have to read his thoughts to know there was something more. He had it on the tip of the tongue but for some reason refused to share it with me. And I was in no mood to psychoanalyse him, "If that's everything you wanted then I would love to get back to work, I have to finish it before the meeting."  
  
He didn't move or offer any kind of response. If I hadn't known better, I could assume he didn't hear me but I could feel him staring at me and the atmosphere in the room was getting thicker with every passing second. I fought off the urge to roll my eyes and peered back at him trying to get him to speak. Apparently, it wasn't enough since he was still standing in front of the table not uttering a single word, looking everywhere but at me.  
  
Whatever it was, if it was able to stress Pierce out, it must have been a nightmare for the rest of us.  
  
I stood up and came up to him so that we were standing inches apart from each other. He took a deep breath and gave up on his fake smile.  
  
"Truth is, I just wanted to check on you," he confessed.  
  
"Did I give you any reason for that?" I folded arms on my chest, beginning to feel more and more threatened. I tried to remember if I had fucked something up in the last few weeks but my mind was blank suggestion-wise. The heart was pounding in my chest as I was trying to guess what was the real reason for him to be in my office.  
  
"You did actually," he said. He didn't look angry, disappointed or irritated. The only emotion I could read on his face was a concern, "Look, I know you don't want to discuss it but it pains me to see you on edge every time we have to work with those kids."  
  
I felt a sharp sting as my nails pinched into my skin deep enough to leave red marks on its surface. I was doing everything within my power to keep my emotions on a leash and not let my coworkers see how exhaustive it was for me. And he dared to show up in my office with an intention to destroy all my efforts.  
  
"Look away then, it's that simple," I spat out, smiling bitterly.  
  
He didn't even flinch. I knew that my reaction would only assure him that I'm not as fine as I claim to be. To be completely honest, guilt, pressure and anxiety were piling up in my mind for a while now and it became too much of a burden to function properly. I was constantly on the edge of mental breakdown.

Being a mutant and working for Transigen wasn't very popular and it definitely had an impact on my mental condition. My mind was telling me that I could do more good for my kind while working for the company. Someone could think that I was there to steal their intel or sabotage their work but truth be told, I was trying my best to prevent a massacre within the compound. But then I also felt deeply conflicted. I was a mutant myself and even if I felt nothing but hatred towards my so-called gift and how it was affecting my life, my gut was telling me that I should stay side by side with those like me. Disobeying felt like a treachery.  
  
Sensing that I was on the verge of tears, I tried to turn away and leave the room, but Donald wouldn't let me. He took my hands into his own and squeezed them in a reassuring way before I had the chance to pull away. My lips began to tremble and even though I was trying my best not to cry in front of him, a lone tear involuntarily traced down my cheek. Don immediately reached out and wiped it off with his thumb. I wanted to push him away, I really did. But at the same time, I needed as much comfort as I could get and he was the only one offering it.  
  
I gave into his touch and he pulled me closer, locking in a tight embrace.  
  
"I just don't want to see you get hurt," he whispered, brushing my hair with his fingers.  
  
"I thought I could handle it," I replied, my voice cracking with emotion, "I still want to work here and help. But my conscience is tearing me apart."  
  
I took a step back and looked at his face, trying to decide whether he was taking it seriously. His mouth formed a faint grimace and his eyes made it obvious that he cared more than he probably wished he had.  
  
"You know, you don't have to take a side. I could arrange something, help you leave this place and let you live a normal life. At least as normal as it gets."  
  
"No," I shook my head, trying to think of proper words to use. My mutation was much more needed here. I could manipulate emotions, force someone to calm down or infuriate them with a snap of my fingers, without putting any reason in their head. That's why Rice was using me during his tests when he realised that the kids he'd created couldn't be contained by regular means, it was already too late to change it. I was trying to protect them from potential harm coming from his soldiers,"I might not be the biggest fan of myself or my powers but those kids need me, I owe them that much."  
  
He nodded and a slight smirk appeared on his lips. This time it was sincere.  
  
"We should work on the not liking yourself part."  
  
"Maybe after the meeting," I said, trying to get rid of the wet stains with a sleeve of my blouse. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes for a short while. I had to collect my thoughts. Controlling other people emotions was so simple and yet I still couldn't command my own.  
  
When I opened my eyes I felt much better. I was thankful that Pierce stopped by when he did but seeing this amused look in his eyes I knew he was giving himself even too much credit.  
  
"Don't look at me like that," I scolded him, but it didn't sound too intimidating, "and Don, can you not-"  
  
"I won't tell anyone you were crying," he pressed his hand to his heart and raised the other one as if he was making an official promise. I chuckled at his pretended solemn expression and I knew it must have been his goal because he threw his arm over my shoulder and his muscles finally relaxed.  
  
"Let's get it done and then we'll have a moment to ourselves, what do you think?"  
  
I agreed with a single nod. I would never admit it to his face but I was scared it was the day that I would finally break down but with his reassuring touch, the world didn't feel so hostile anymore.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading and as always - comments are greatly appreciated! 


End file.
